DISCLAIMER: HG CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME
A/N: I have been going through my Mockingjay book to help guide me through the story, for I read it so long ago, you will see some things exactly as it happens in the book, with things changing and going off canon
The next morning, Katniss wakes up from a full night's sleep, for once not having a nightmare. Feeling good that she and Gale appear to be on the same page regarding their relationship and their feelings for each other. That night at dinner, they snuck glances at each other while in conversation with others, they did not sit together, but both of their families sat at the same table. At times she feels his eyes on her, she feels herself blush, for his looks were giving her butterflies in her stomach. When they get up to leave, he brushes past her quickly, but not before reaching out and putting his hand on her back stealthily.
She goes over to the contraption on the wall and waits while her daily schedule for today gets tattooed on the inside of her forearm. She looks down and sees the following:
7:00-Breakfast, 7:30 Kitchen Duties, 9:00 Meeting with President in Room 1508, 10:00 Training in Room 250, 12:00 Lunch, 12:30 Kitchen Duties, 14:00 Training in Room 400, 17:00 Laundry duties, 18:00 Reflection, 18:30 Dinner
She sighs, more kitchen and laundry duties, along with training. She hates the rigidity of this place, while she was one to keep to a regular schedule, this was beyond anything she had ever seen. She understands the need to for everyone to follow the rules and staying hidden all these years, but she cannot understand how anyone can tolerate this darkness. Feeling at times she cannot breathe.
But she figures if one grows up in this environment, one would think it is not so bad, and the children here never had their names in the reaping bowl.
At this point, she feels the only good thing about being stuck down here in this darkness is that her Mom and Prim are here, and Gale. The butterfly feeling returns in her stomach. She knows that getting him back has slightly helped her anxiety and regaining her friendship with him has given her someone to tell her secrets to.
He sits beside her at breakfast, offering some of his food to her and she smiles at him in response. She quickly takes the toast he has put on her plate and begins eating it.
"I don't think we are to be sharing food here" she says.
He shrugs and says, "I've shared food with Vick and Rory, and they have already taken my communicuff so what do I care? Let them punish me for giving food to the ones I love".
She reaches down under the table and takes his hand in hers. They continue to eat their breakfast in silence while continuing to hold hands under the table. When it is time for her to begin her kitchen duties, he says to her, "Good luck telling Coin your demands".
"Come with me" she says, no uncertainty in her feelings.
"I'm supposed to be in training at 9" he says.
"I need you in there with me".
He nods and says, "Okay, I'll meet you outside the kitchen entrance at 8:55".
She squeezes his hand, resisting the urge to kiss him in front of everyone in the cafeteria. He hurries off for he must report for janitorial duties that begin at 7:30, she turns and heads for the kitchen, repeating in her head her list of demands for Coin.
"With you how? Off camera? By your side at all times? Do you want him presented as your new lover?"
Katniss is stunned by Coin's words, panicking that Coin has somehow found out about the two of them. "What?" is all she can say in response. She then hears Plutarch Heavensbee go on about how her romance with Peeta should continue. She then hears the words pregnant and she is snapped back to attention, remembering that all of Panem thinks she is carrying Peeta's baby. She then hears Coin say that Gale can be portrayed as a fellow rebel. Her eyes shift to Gale, for she feels him go tense when Plutarch talks about how they can still use the cousins angle. She hears Gale raise his voice and say, "We are not cousins!"
"We have to say you two are cousins for appearances, off camera he is all yours" Plutarch says, a hint of smugness in his voice.
Katniss feels herself begin to get angry, for she felt it was demeaning that this conversation was happening. As if Gale was her boy toy. But that anger gave her a renewed sense of confidence in her demands to Coin. After she assures Coin she will perform, she storms off, not waiting for Gale.
Later that day, as she heads towards the laundry room to begin her one hour of required laundry work, she sees Gale waiting for her near the entrance.
"Hey, can we talk?" he says.
"About what? I don't want to rehash that conversation with Coin" she says harshly.
"Well, we need to, I need to know what you are thinking."
She makes a face as she says, "It didn't bother you? What they said? That you are all mine once the cameras stop rolling?"
"We are always together Katniss" he says gently.
Frustrated, she walks away and into the laundry room, ignoring his pleas for her to come back.